Montgomery County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.0 | 10,139 people · 7th most distressed in Iowa
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Montgomery County, IA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.0 — 1524th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Iowa, it ranks 7th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Montgomery County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 74.0 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 74.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Housing Cost Burden 71.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 64
Structural Poverty 57.9
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Consumer Credit Distress 40.1
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 27
Economic Vitality 28.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 5

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, IA 51.0 Elevated —
Pottawattamie County, IA 51.5 Elevated +0.5
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal -4.7
Page County, IA 42.0 Normal -9.0
Adams County, IA 33.3 Healthy -17.7
Mills County, IA 33.2 Healthy -17.8
Taylor County, IA 29.6 Healthy -21.4
Fremont County, IA 26.5 Healthy -24.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Cortland County, NY 51.0 Elevated +0.0
Madison County, NC 50.9 Elevated -0.0
Montgomery County, NC 51.0 Elevated +0.1
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated +0.1
Clay County, TX 50.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Montgomery County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Montgomery County

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Montgomery County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Montgomery County, Iowa?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 51.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,524th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 74.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (51.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pottawattamie County, IA (51.5); Cass County, IA (46.3); Page County, IA (42.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Montgomery County's score of 51.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Montgomery County's CDI score?

    Montgomery County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Iowa has a population of approximately 10,139 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.